KZMU News

In recent weeks, COVID-19 cases have steadily increased in Carbon County. They now have the highest total cases in Southeast Utah’s health district. Throughout the pandemic, officials worried about increases in Grand County, but say the local mask order has worked as an effective prevention tool. Plus, both Grand County and Moab City are officially ‘cooperating agencies’ with the Bureau of Land Management. That means their councils can provide early input on upcoming oil and gas lease sales and environmental assessments in the area, which they just did for the BLM’s December sale. And finally, one local theater company in Telluride, Colorado is producing Shakespeare in the pandemic.

Show Notes:

Photo: Telluride Theater

Southeast Utah Health Dept free COVID-19 Testing

Monday 8/31 from 1pm – 5pm at Grand County High School

Testing open to all individuals, whether symptomatic or not

Register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe5GxeU5St_Tx2sUD05BL4RpTTBLi1WxM4jAvnYefX6q_k0sg/viewform

Southeast Utah Case Counts

https://www.seuhealth.com/covid-19

BLM Utah December Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale

https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2001127/570

Telluride Theatre

http://www.telluridetheatre.org

Telluride.com: Shakespeare in the Park

https://www.telluride.com/festivals-and-events/shakespeare-in-the-park--the-tempest

In recent weeks, COVID-19 cases have steadily increased in Carbon County. They now have the highest total cases in Southeast Utah’s health district. Throughout the pandemic, officials worried about increases in Grand County, but say the local mask order has worked as an effective prevention tool. Plus, both Grand County and Moab City are officially ‘cooperating agencies’ with the Bureau of Land Management. That means their councils can provide early input on upcoming oil and gas lease sales and environmental assessments in the area, which they just did for the BLM’s December sale. And finally, one local theater company in Telluride, Colorado is producing Shakespeare in the pandemic.

Show Notes:

Photo: Telluride Theater

Southeast Utah Health Dept free COVID-19 Testing

Monday 8/31 from 1pm – 5pm at Grand County High School

Testing open to all individuals, whether symptomatic or not

Register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe5GxeU5St_Tx2sUD05BL4RpTTBLi1WxM4jAvnYefX6q_k0sg/viewform

Southeast Utah Case Counts

https://www.seuhealth.com/covid-19

BLM Utah December Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale

https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2001127/570

Telluride Theatre

http://www.telluridetheatre.org

Telluride.com: Shakespeare in the Park

https://www.telluride.com/festivals-and-events/shakespeare-in-the-park--the-tempest

As wildfires continue to burn across the West, Southeastern Utah has felt impacts, especially when it comes to air quality. But beyond the smoky air and searching through pictures, it’s difficult to get a real sense of neighboring wildfires. What do they feel like? Sound like? Have they affected that favorite hiking trail? Today on the news, our partners at KDNK answer some of these questions reporting from Grizzly Creek Fire, currently burning in Glenwood Canyon. And later, Moab resident Carey Dabney produced an exhaustive study for the League of Women Voters on the transfer of public lands movement in Utah. It documents the modern movement from its roots in the Sagebrush Rebellion to current legislation today.

Show Notes:

KDNK – No Name Survives Grizzly Creek Fire: News from Glenwood Canyon

https://www.kdnk.org/post/no-name-survives-grizzly-creek-fire-news-glenwood-canyon

Air Now Fire and Smoke Map

https://fire.airnow.gov/#

InciWeb: Grizzly Creek Fire

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6942/

Transfer of Public Lands Movement Study (2020)

https://www.lwvutah.org/studies/transfer-of-public-lands-movement-study-2020

As wildfires continue to burn across the West, Southeastern Utah has felt impacts, especially when it comes to air quality. But beyond the smoky air and searching through pictures, it’s difficult to get a real sense of neighboring wildfires. What do they feel like? Sound like? Have they affected that favorite hiking trail? Today on the news, our partners at KDNK answer some of these questions reporting from Grizzly Creek Fire, currently burning in Glenwood Canyon. And later, Moab resident Carey Dabney produced an exhaustive study for the League of Women Voters on the transfer of public lands movement in Utah. It documents the modern movement from its roots in the Sagebrush Rebellion to current legislation today.

Show Notes:

KDNK – No Name Survives Grizzly Creek Fire: News from Glenwood Canyon

https://www.kdnk.org/post/no-name-survives-grizzly-creek-fire-news-glenwood-canyon

Air Now Fire and Smoke Map

https://fire.airnow.gov/#

InciWeb: Grizzly Creek Fire

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6942/

Transfer of Public Lands Movement Study (2020)

https://www.lwvutah.org/studies/transfer-of-public-lands-movement-study-2020

The Grand County Council is now the 'Grand County Commission.' On Friday, the seven elected representatives – now commissioners – unanimously voted to change their title and remove nonpartisan elections, term limits, and recall elections. According to the county attorney, this move brings Grand County’s government “100 percent” into compliance with state law. So where does this leave the study committee proposal for a new form of government? And could Grand County have avoided that process by making these changes earlier? Those questions and more on today’s news.

Show Notes:

County Attorney 8/13/20 Legal Memo

https://www.kzmu.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CA-813-Legal-Memo.pdf

Ballot Flow Chart

https://www.kzmu.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Ballot-Flow-Chart.pdf

Related County Documents

https://www.grandcountyutah.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08212020-1230

The Grand County Council is now the 'Grand County Commission.' On Friday, the seven elected representatives – now commissioners – unanimously voted to change their title and remove nonpartisan elections, term limits, and recall elections. According to the county attorney, this move brings Grand County’s government “100 percent” into compliance with state law. So where does this leave the study committee proposal for a new form of government? And could Grand County have avoided that process by making these changes earlier? Those questions and more on today’s news.

Show Notes:

County Attorney 8/13/20 Legal Memo

https://www.kzmu.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CA-813-Legal-Memo.pdf

Ballot Flow Chart

https://www.kzmu.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Ballot-Flow-Chart.pdf

Related County Documents

https://www.grandcountyutah.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08212020-1230

It’s hot. You’re tired. You’ve just finished a long day at a national park. And maybe it wasn’t quite the five-star experience you hoped for. Today on the news, our partners at KSJD report on an illustrator creating park posters from snarky online reviews. Plus, retired national park leaders advocate for the CORE Act, and Utah Gov. Gary Herbert replaces an emergency declaration due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Show Notes:

UPR: Gov. Gary Herbert Announces New Coronavirus Emergency Declaration To Replace Expiring One

https://www.upr.org/post/gov-gary-herbert-announces-new-coronavirus-emergency-declaration-replace-expiring-one

Gov Herbert 8/20 Executive Order Declaring a State of Emergency

https://governor.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2020/08/EO-2020-51.pdf

Utah Coronavirus Case Counts

https://coronavirus.utah.gov/case-counts/

KVNF: Retired National Park Leaders Advocate for CORE Act

https://www.gjsentinel.com/opinion/columns/a-call-for-authorizing-curecanti-national-recreation-area/article_208b90e6-de7b-11ea-9f3b-87160fd958e6.html

The Daily Sentinel (Opinion): A call for authorizing Curecanti National Recreation Area

https://www.kvnf.org/post/retired-national-park-leaders-advocate-core-act#stream/0

Subpar Parks

https://subparparks.com

It’s hot. You’re tired. You’ve just finished a long day at a national park. And maybe it wasn’t quite the five-star experience you hoped for. Today on the news, our partners at KSJD report on an illustrator creating park posters from snarky online reviews. Plus, retired national park leaders advocate for the CORE Act, and Utah Gov. Gary Herbert replaces an emergency declaration due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Show Notes:

UPR: Gov. Gary Herbert Announces New Coronavirus Emergency Declaration To Replace Expiring One

https://www.upr.org/post/gov-gary-herbert-announces-new-coronavirus-emergency-declaration-replace-expiring-one

Gov Herbert 8/20 Executive Order Declaring a State of Emergency

https://governor.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2020/08/EO-2020-51.pdf

Utah Coronavirus Case Counts

https://coronavirus.utah.gov/case-counts/

KVNF: Retired National Park Leaders Advocate for CORE Act

https://www.gjsentinel.com/opinion/columns/a-call-for-authorizing-curecanti-national-recreation-area/article_208b90e6-de7b-11ea-9f3b-87160fd958e6.html

The Daily Sentinel (Opinion): A call for authorizing Curecanti National Recreation Area

https://www.kvnf.org/post/retired-national-park-leaders-advocate-core-act#stream/0

Subpar Parks

https://subparparks.com

It’s hot, smoky, and the pandemic is still ongoing. So how can you lighten the mood in these more difficult days of summer? Well, Skate Moab has one answer – Disco Nights at the Old Spanish Trail Arena. Organizers describe event like an adult skate night at the roller rink, with coronavirus safeguards in place. Plus, the pandemic has brought many additional screens to our lives with more time spent in virtual meetings or at home with a TV or smartphone. But another type of screen is making its own resurgence in the Four Corners region – drive-in movie theatres.

And later (12:00), our roundup with The Times-Independent. Editor Doug McMurdo reviews some notable coverage in their paper, including the Pine Gulch fire, a new local governance idea, and concerns over asymptomatic testing and the school district.

Show Notes:

Skate Moab/Disco Nights

https://www.skatemoab.com

https://www.skatemoab.com/bookings-checkout/disco-night-18

KSJD: COVID-19 Revives Local Drive-In Theaters, For Now

https://www.ksjd.org/post/covid-19-revives-local-drive-theaters-now#stream/0

The Times-Independent Mentions –

Fires ravage West, fill Moab skies with smoke

https://moabtimes.com/2020/08/20/fires-ravage-west-fill-moab-skies-with-smoke/

Consensus forms around new local governance idea

https://moabtimes.com/2020/08/20/consensus-forms-around-new-local-governance-idea/

Asymptomatic testing: Officials fear program won’t be utilized in Grand school district

https://moabtimes.com/2020/08/20/asymptomatic-testing-officials-fear-program-wont-be-utilized-in-grand-school-district/

Grand County extends mask order to end of year

https://moabtimes.com/2020/08/20/grand-county-extends-mask-order-to-end-of-year/

Legislature calls year’s 6th special session; focus on CARES, school funding

https://moabtimes.com/2020/08/20/legislature-calls-years-6th-special-session-focus-on-cares-school-funding/

It’s hot, smoky, and the pandemic is still ongoing. So how can you lighten the mood in these more difficult days of summer? Well, Skate Moab has one answer – Disco Nights at the Old Spanish Trail Arena. Organizers describe event like an adult skate night at the roller rink, with coronavirus safeguards in place. Plus, the pandemic has brought many additional screens to our lives with more time spent in virtual meetings or at home with a TV or smartphone. But another type of screen is making its own resurgence in the Four Corners region – drive-in movie theatres.

And later (12:00), our roundup with The Times-Independent. Editor Doug McMurdo reviews some notable coverage in their paper, including the Pine Gulch fire, a new local governance idea, and concerns over asymptomatic testing and the school district.

Show Notes:

Skate Moab/Disco Nights

https://www.skatemoab.com

https://www.skatemoab.com/bookings-checkout/disco-night-18

KSJD: COVID-19 Revives Local Drive-In Theaters, For Now

https://www.ksjd.org/post/covid-19-revives-local-drive-theaters-now#stream/0

The Times-Independent Mentions –

Fires ravage West, fill Moab skies with smoke

https://moabtimes.com/2020/08/20/fires-ravage-west-fill-moab-skies-with-smoke/

Consensus forms around new local governance idea

https://moabtimes.com/2020/08/20/consensus-forms-around-new-local-governance-idea/

Asymptomatic testing: Officials fear program won’t be utilized in Grand school district

https://moabtimes.com/2020/08/20/asymptomatic-testing-officials-fear-program-wont-be-utilized-in-grand-school-district/

Grand County extends mask order to end of year

https://moabtimes.com/2020/08/20/grand-county-extends-mask-order-to-end-of-year/

Legislature calls year’s 6th special session; focus on CARES, school funding

https://moabtimes.com/2020/08/20/legislature-calls-years-6th-special-session-focus-on-cares-school-funding/